Category: Regional
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REVIEW: Greatest Days – Lyceum Theatre – Sheffield
Greatest Days, previously titled The Band, takes audiences on a nostalgic journey following five best friends obsessed with a boy band in the 1990s. The story unfolds as they reunite over 20 years later to attend a concert of their heartthrobs, hoping for the greatest days of their lives. The musical celebrates the 30th anniversary…
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REVIEW: Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Lyceum Theatre – Sheffield
I had the pleasure of attending Showstopper! The Improvised Musical at the Lyceum in Sheffield, and it was an absolute delight from start to finish. The cast, consisting of Jonathan Ainscough, Ruth Bratt, Adam Meggido, Philip Pellew, Susan Harrison, and Dylan Emery as The Writer, delivered exceptional performances that left the audience in awe of…
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REVIEW: Vardy VS Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial – The Lowry – Salford
I had the pleasure of attending the performance of “Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial” at the Lowry in Salford. This intriguing production, adapted by Liv Hennessy and directed by Lisa Spirling, provided a captivating and humorous take on the infamous Wagatha Christie scandal. From the moment the play began, it was evident that…
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REVIEW: The Card – New Vic Theatre – Stoke-on-Trent
Bringing to life the enduring charm and wit of Arnold Bennett’s classic comic novel, “The Card,” a new adaptation by Deborah McAndrew is now open at Stoke’s New Vic theatre. This delightful production, which originally captivated audiences at Fenton Town Hall, has returned in a triumphant display at the iconic New Vic theatre, benefitting from…
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‘Bridgerton’ meets ‘Inside the Factory’ in the delicious Regency rom-com ‘Quality Street’
From the writer of Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie, this delicious regency rom-com was such a sensation in its day that it gave its name to the UK’s most loved chocolates. Phoebe Throssel runs a school for unruly children on Quality Street. Ten years since a tearful goodbye, an old flame returns from fighting Napoleon. But the look…
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REVIEW: Heathers the Musical – Regent Theatre – Stoke-on-Trent
Heathers the Musical is a contemporary rock musical that tells the story of Veronica Sawyer, a high school student who longs to be popular and becomes entangled in a deadly plot with her new boyfriend, JD, and the school’s elite clique, the Heathers. The musical is a dark comedy that explores themes of teenage angst,…
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REVIEW: Of Mice and Men – Birmingham Rep
The novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a staple in UK GCSE English exams due to its themes of loneliness, hopes, and power in 1930’s America. The Birmingham Rep theatre attempted to make this timeless story relevant to a 2023 audience by targeting their casting towards disabled and neurodivergent performers for the…
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REVIEW: Dreamgirls – Alexandra Theatre – Birmingham
Dreamgirls, the popular Broadway musical that has been entertaining audiences for over 40 years, is in Birmingham as part of its first-ever UK tour. The show previously concluded its acclaimed and Olivier award-winning West End run in 2019, and fans of the production have been eagerly anticipating its return. Loosely inspired by the stories of…
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REVIEW: Frantic Assembly’s Othello – Salford Quays Theatre
Frantic Assembly’s production of Shakespeare’s “Othello” is a modern adaptation of the classic tragedy that offers a fresh and insightful interpretation of the play. This version of the play, which was first staged in 2008, is a powerful commentary on race, gender, and social inequality that brings Shakespeare’s themes into the modern age. One of…
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REVIEW: Blood Brothers – Regent Theatre – Stoke-on-Trent
Willy Russell’s iconic Blood Brothers has been a staple in the West End since its debut in 1983, and nearly 40 years later, it continues to captivate audiences across the UK with its current tour. Despite its long-standing success, the question remains: can this touring production live up to the standards set by the West…